CHAPTER ONE
Freya
THERE’S A MUTILATED body on the screen. You’d think given my history it would be easier for me to get used to, but if anything, it hits me worse than my fellow officers. Dizziness swims in my head. I forget sometimes that it’s important to breathe.
The scent of too many different colognes overwhelms me as I scan the lecture theater, taking in the dozens of other officers here and double checking the exits. I’m sitting at the back, so no-one is behind me and the set of double doors at the top of the seating are just to my left. I could get out of here in under five seconds if I needed to. The thought calms me a little.
I close my eyes and focus on the sounds of pens scratching and the rich, commanding voice of the Special Agent giving the presentation. We’re in Quantico at the FBI Academy, but his presence fills the room like he’s on a Broadway stage.
“Madison Briggs is assumed to be Arthur Maxwell’s seventh victim.”
‘I’m Maddie. What’s your name, sweetheart?’
Her voice was trembling when she asked me that, her lip swollen and cut.
I grind the tip of my pen into my notebook and open my eyes, forcing myself to focus on the lecture and not get sucked in by the memories.The body still dominates the screen, empty eyes staring out at me. A wave of nausea swirls in my stomach. I force a shallow breath through my nose and shift my attention to the man on stage.
He’s tall, Asian, and too damn beautiful to be hunting killers. He strides across the stage. Everything about him is controlled, even the way his hair is neatly coiffed, black silk against khaki-toned skin.
He introduced himself as Agent Park, but everyone here already knew who he was. The All-Star of the Serial Crimes Unit or SCU is somewhat of a legend to rookie detectives. He leads a team of three other guys which, frankly, I think is sexist, but there’s no denying they are good at their jobs. Right now, he’s teaching us about one of the few known serial killers they’re yet to catch.
The Cross-Cut Killer, so named because of the crosses cut into his victims’ chests.
Agent Park points his laser at the series of small, delicate crosses, like kisses in blood.There are fourteen of them on Maddie. The crosses are about the size of a child’s fist and fall in two neat, vertical lines, seven on each side of her chest.
“One of the most unusual things about Maxwell’s MO is that the number of crosses on his victims vary. His earlier victims didn’t have any at all. Madison Briggs is the first.” He guides the red dot along the darker, crimson lines. “If you look closely, you’ll see the cuts are shallow and slightly jagged at the edges which suggests Maxwell was somewhat hesitant.”
“Or that someone else made the cuts.” The words are out of my mouth before I can think better of it and Agent Park’s stony eyes scan the audience.
I gulp when they land on me.Nice job, Sherlock. Drawing attention to myself is the last thing I should be doing.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
Unfortunately, I’m unable to travel back in time and tell myself to shut up, so I give him what he wants. “Detective Danvers, Sir.”
His gaze stays locked on my face, and I find myself adding, “Freya.” The word falls softly from my lips. I try so hard to keep my personal life separate from my professional one but something about Agent Park demands I give him all of me. Maybe that’s what makes him such a good hunter.
“What makes you say that, Detective?”
My heart kicks at my ribs. I can’t exactly say because I know who made those cuts. My fist tightens around my pen as I search for an explanation.
Always make people feel like they’re the ones in control. It will make it all the more tempting when they realize, they’re not.
“It’s just, you told us earlier that it was only a person’s first few kills that were hesitant. The Cross-Cut killer had been slicing throats for years before the crosses started. It doesn’t make sense for him to be hesitant with a knife. Does it?”
Agent Park inclines his head. “You’re not incorrect but we’ve profiled Maxwell as needing a high level of control. He wouldn’t be capable of working with anyone.”
I swallow.Just nod your head and let him carry on, Freya.
I’ve already drawn too much attention to myself. I know I should shut up, but Maddie’s lifeless face still stares out at me. She deserved so much better than that. She deserves for her killer to be caught.
I shift my attention back to Agent Park. “Not even someone he saw as an apprentice?”
His jaw twitches. “An astute observation but in this case, it’s unlikely.” He tilts his head. “Though there have been cases of serial killers taking on protégés, inevitably the protégé will need to break free from their teacher’s control. The crosses were a consistent feature ofMaxwell’s kills for eleven years. It would be nigh on impossible to keep another killer under your control for that length of time.”
He’s right. I may not be an expert, but I’ve done my fair share of research into serial killers. A partnership like the one I suggested could never last so long.
Not unless the protégé was a child.
